Hello all.This thread is the most active for PLCBUS and MCE, and I am just in a process of purchasing PLCBUS deviceswhich I will use in my new house that I am building:-10x micro modules (2268HE)-2x dimmable micro modules for CFL/LED (2268HXD)-3x dual shutter modules (3160MHX2)-1x usb controller (1141)

And as a novice in PLCBUS i have lots of questions:

Is this all I need - Will I be able to program the modules via usb controller (1141)?

Has anybody been using shutter controllers with MCE? As far as I can see the commands are on/off dim+ dim-

And a PLCBUS harware question - what about dimmable fluorescent light module, it has 0-10V analog output - I am thinking about buying all 3160MHX2 instead of 2268HE if the dimmable balasts are obtainable and working fine (I would then use FLs with ballasts instead of the standard E27 CFLs in the house).

I´d suggest you to buy a few PLCBUS modules and the 1141 to begin with and play around with them and to learn how they work before you go ahead and buy all modules you need. Don´t spend hundreds of dollars on something that may end up not working as you expect the to work.

I have now, during several months had LMCE controlling a few lights and I have to say that the system is pretty reliable. In a few weeks I´ll have my house rewired and I´ll install a 3phase coupler and more modules. Hopefully the 3phase stuff works, as nobody (?) has tested it out yet with the new driver.

Just wondering from those running PLCBUS if anyone has tested their "standby" power usage. They say "<1W" on the modules, but I found my in-wall light controllers were drawing 9W each, the 2-light controllers 17W, plug-in power controllers around 20W. I only noticed when I got a power meter and it showed my lighting circuit was using up around 270W with all the lights off.

I liked PLCBUS, but changing to Z-Wave because I'll have saved enough to pay for the Z-Wave in a couple of years.

Just wondering from those running PLCBUS if anyone has tested their "standby" power usage. They say "<1W" on the modules, but I found my in-wall light controllers were drawing 9W each, the 2-light controllers 17W, plug-in power controllers around 20W. I only noticed when I got a power meter and it showed my lighting circuit was using up around 270W with all the lights off.

I liked PLCBUS, but changing to Z-Wave because I'll have saved enough to pay for the Z-Wave in a couple of years.

Very interesting!! How did you measure the power consumption? What kind of "tool" did you use?

I discovered the high overall power usage with a CurrentCost meter hooked into the lighting circuit, and then tested the plugin modules with a plugin meter. And then tested a few in-wall modules individually with both the CurrentCost and the plugin meter which both gave the same reading. I then tested a few Z-Wave modules which didn't even register on either power meter.

I was just curious if anyone else had experienced this. I don't think it would just be a bad batch as I purchased them at different times over a 2 year period.

I'm new here and kind of 'invited' to say something about PLCBUS power usage, so here it goes I have lots of PLCBUS appliance modules and my measurements show me the following numbers:

No load attached:An appliance module uses an average of 0.3W while it's OFF. When you change it to ON, this changes to 1.5W.

Load attached:OFF stays the same, still 0.3WON: a bit harder to measure, but it looks like it's still below 2W.

So in normal operation you could say that a PLCBUS module uses 0.3W extra in OFF and 1.5W extra while ON. I made a picture of the power monitor to prove this, but I'm not allowed to post links here, sorry about that.Well, a link can be found in my guestbook at www dot hekkers dot net somewhere....